Safeguarding Australia

The Critical Infrastructure Branch of the Attorney-General’s Department, which runs the Trusted Information Sharing Network (TISN), has released their latest newsletter. Articles in its 12 pages are:

It can be read from here.

The ACT Government has released the publication “Emergencies and the National Capital: A residents guide”. The all-hazards guide outlines the colour-coded warning system and evacuation strategy, provides practical preparedness information for specific hazards and general emergencies. http://www.esb.act.gov.au/

ACT Emergency exercise tests electricity providers

The ACT’s capacity to cope with a significant power outage was tested recently through the National Electricity Market Emergency Exercise QUOKKA 05. The national exercise will simulate a number of hypothetical incidents, resulting in a significant loss of electricity across the ACT, Queensland, NSW, Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania. The simulation involves a significant loss of electricity caused by a combination of extreme weather conditions and bushfires. Procedures for dealing with this loss may involve load shedding and the possible introduction of rationing of electricity supplies by the jurisdictions.

Restricted Access To Hazardous Materials

Legislation restricting access to Security-Sensitive Dangerous Substances (SSDS) has taken effect in Tasmania from 21 November. The legislation reflected a national approach to control access to hazardous materials as part of

Australia

’s counter-terrorism initiatives.

The first substance to be regulated by this legislation is Security Sensitive Ammonium Nitrate (SSAN) because of its history of use by terrorists and concerns about its ready availability. Consistent with all other States and Territories, a six-month transitional period to full compliance will apply. According to the legislation, a business or person with a legitimate need to have access to security sensitive ammonium nitrate will require a permit issued by the Director of Industry Safety at Workplace Standards Tasmania.

Security issues raised about the proposed national nuclear waste

Security issues and the possibility of terrorist threats on a proposed national nuclear waste dump, were key issues raised by the Northern Territory’s Chief Minister during a recent Senate hearing in Canberra today. “This legislation will increase the current storage of the Territory’s three or four drums of waste, into a sizable stockpile of approximately 123 shipping containers. And that’s only starting with the Commonwealth’s waste and does not include each state or higher level nuclear waste that could easily be added in the future.

CCTV in Cabs

The first Queensland cabs fitted with security cameras under the Queensland Government's $8 million taxi security camera program have rolled off the rank at Redcliffe. The Redcliffe taxi fleet was chosen to pilot the scheme because it was an excellent representative group for the taxi industry. The contractor was VerifyEye Aust. The cameras will also be fitted in 2700 taxis in centres where the population is greater than 40,000:

Counter-terrorism mini budget

Last month, the Queensland Government released a min-budget (Special Fiscal and Economic Statement). The mini budget included $7.16 million, part of a total of $17.44 million over five years, to implement key elements of the Queensland government’s recently announced counterterrorism initiatives.

The majority of this funding will be the first instalment of a Resilience Fund, which was referred to in the Government’s Seven Point Counter Terrorism Plan. This Fund has been set up to provide for security enhancements in priority areas. This first instalment will contribute to delivery of:

Robust coordinated response and recovery arrangements including:

Operations Centre supported by funding of $1.2 million per annum or $6 million over five years.

The remaining funding of $0.7 million will provide for:

State's Emergency Management leader appointed

Emergency Services Minister Pat Purcell today announced the appointment of Frank Pagano as Executive Director of Counter Disaster and Rescue Services (CDRS), a division within the Department of Emergency Services portfolio. Frank has more than 30 years operational experience with the Queensland Fire and Rescue Service.

Commonwealth Games security

The Victorian government has stated it that more than $5.2 million in health funding will ensure Victoria is well primed to respond to any natural disaster or terrorist attack at next year’s Commonwealth Games.

And funding from a wider emergency management and counter-terrorism program is helping stockpile extra drugs to tackle any outbreak of influenza or bird flu.

The bulk of the new funding, provided through the Commonwealth Games budget, would provide protective clothing, breathing apparatus and other equipment for ambulances across the State, to enable paramedics to operate in danger zones with mass evacuations.

Further funding as part of a four-year, $27 million package for the health component of a boost to Victoria’s emergency management and counter-terrorism capability, announced in 2002, has also boosted Victoria’s response to disasters.

Ms Pike said the package included $300,000 to stockpile medical supplies against an outbreak of influenza or bird flu, and a $5 million boost to expand negative pressure rooms in major hospitals to help isolate and treat victims of infectious diseases and high-risk biological contamination.

The money follows on from the launch of a $700,000 investment in April by the Bracks Government of three new emergency response vehicles to enable paramedics to move to the front line of disasters as they are unfolding. The Metropolitan Ambulance Service’s command and communication vehicle enables incident controllers to be at the scene of a disaster – either natural or man-made – to operate as a forward command post and readily communicate with their base and other emergency services. At the same time, the other two emergency support vehicles will provide all the equipment paramedics need to treat hundreds of casualties on the spot, enabling care and treatment to commence immediately for numbers of patients prior to their transfer to hospital.

Commonwealth Games Minister Justin Madden said the Games funding also helped establish mobile teams of emergency health professionals from the major hospitals ready to attend the scenes of major disasters. Victoria had plans in place to cope with mass injury and death in the event of Australia being a terrorist target. Victoria’s public hospital system has plans in place to be able to provide for around 1000 casualties within a 24-hour period to respond to a terrorism attack or other disaster.

New CCTV standard for Victorian cameras

The Victorian Government has introduced legislation which requires a minimum recording standard for security cameras. The standards reflect an issue raised in the discussion paper by the Inner City Entertainment Precincts taskforce, 'A Good Night for All'. Setting and enforcing a minimum recording standard is designed to ensure investigations into serious offences in or around licensed premises are not hampered by substandard security camera images.

Until now security cameras were required for most licensed venues trading beyond 1am, however there was no guidance about the quality of the images. Significant improvements in the cost and availability of digital recording equipment will make it easier to meet the proposed standard. The Director of Liquor Licensing will work closely with the industry to develop the standards and prepare a Regulatory Impact Statement (RIS). The Bill will be debated by the Parliament in early 2006.

Special Interest Group on Security formed in Perth

Jeff Corkill, Board of Australian Institute of Professional Intelligence Officers (AIPIO) and member of the National Managing Committee of the Risk Management Institute of Australasia (RMIA) is organizing a Perth group on security.

The Security SIG is a Special Interest Group within the Risk Management Institute of Australasia (RMIA) which came into being in 2003 when a group in Canberra got together to discuss strategic security risk management issues. Its purpose is to share knowledge and encourage communication, provide networking opportunities and develop the ‘science’ of Security and Security Risk Management. The Perth SIG will involve members of AIPIO, ASIS and the Edith Cowen’s Security Science Department. Email at jcorkill@bigpond.net.au.

Industry and Government Briefing Sessions on a CRC for Security
Safety, Security and Critical Infrastructure Protection have become key issues for the public. Government policy has reflected the changes in public sentiment with changed to the national research priorities Australian Industry and Government are rising to the challenge and developing new approaches to security and new capabilities in risk management. To support the evolving needs of both Government and Industry in addressing security a Cooperative Research Centre for Security is being developed. The CRC will provide an industry-led, global centre of excellence for research and commercialization addressing technology, human, social and legal issues for those industries concerned with providing products or services to safeguard Australia.

Briefings: A national briefing program is taking place in December. It will provide the opportunity for interested industry parties to:
• Learn about the CRC bid
• Provide input to the strategic direction of the CRC bid
• Participate in the bid and the CRC should it be funded Separate Industry and Government

Briefing Sessions: Because the security concerns and sensitivities of Industry and Government differ, separate briefings for Government and Industry will be offered at each venue:
• Government forum 9:00 am to 12:00noon
• Industry forum 1:00 pm to 4:00pm

Briefing Dates:
• Monday December 12 Canberra
• Tuesday December 13 Brisbane
• Wednesday December 14 Sydney
• Thursday December 15 Melbourne
• Monday December 19 Adelaide
• Tuesday December 20 Perth

Participation and Information To participate in the Briefing and for further information on the CRC for Security Bid please contact the bid manager: Dr. Peter Beadle Capital Technic Consulting 02-9252-7869 peter.beadle@capitaltechnic.com. The website of the bid is www.crc-for-security.dyndns.org

IABTI Annual Conference

Australian Chapter of the International Association of Bomb Technicians and Investigators has rescheduled its conference to 2nd and 3rd February 2006 for Sydney. Its theme is "Bombs: Still the terrorists' favourite weapon and a common tool for the "ordinary decent criminal"."

The conference is the last chance to discuss many bomb safety and security topics prior to the Commonwealth Games.

Information: Don Williams, Australian Chapter Director IABTI, tel 02 6280 0347, E-mail: consulting@xtek.net

Federal Labour put out a media statement stating that “While all mail is screened, only Australia Post parcel consignments undergo a rigorous screening process, but a large proportion of parcels imported by private service providers (such as DHL, Fed-Ex, etc) are largely waved through. This leaves a full 30% of the 8,106,129 parcel consignments imported into

Australia

in 2004-05 left unscreened.” They linked this with the problems found in air cargo. “The recent Wheeler report into airport security found clearance of cargo shipped by a regulated air cargo agent is "largely a paper exercise and no physical screening of air cargo is currently mandated. Wheeler also found the air freight system "has the potential to serve as an easy conduit for the transfer of drugs, other illegal commodities or large quantities of money meant for laundering".

Following the counter-terrorism arrests on 8 November, the national security hotline received a significant increase in calls in the following 24 hours. The hotline received 240 calls to midnight last night – 187 of those providing information about potentially suspicious activity. The trend continued today with 96 calls received as of midday – 79 of those providing information from the public. Normally about half the calls to the hotline were from people seeking to provide information to authorities, but following the arrests, close to 80 per cent of calls were to provide information about suspicious activities.

The Civil Aviation Safety Authority is urging

Australia

's pilots to move quickly to comply with new aviation security background check requirements. All pilots must have a valid aviation security background check before December 31 this year – or face being refused entry to many airports.

Any pilot who does not have a valid security check and wants to access security controlled aerodromes must apply now for an Aviation Identification Security Card (ASIC).

After 31 December this year pilots will need an ASIC to access the secure areas of every security controlled aerodrome in

Australia

. There are 185 security controlled airports across the nation in capital cities and regional centres. Pilots who require a background security check can find out what they need to do on-line at: www.casa.gov.au/securitycheck

In a major boost to border security the Australian Government will arm additional frontline Customs officers.

These are the first Customs officers to be armed other than those involved in marine patrols.

The Minister for Justice and Customs, Senator Chris Ellison said the changing environment in which Customs investigated border related crimes required the measure to bolster security at Australia’s borders. “Customs officers carry out border security functions at wharves and remote locations, execute search warrants and board and search vessels in an increasingly hostile environment,” Senator Ellison said.

The use of firearms is governed by the direction of the Customs CEO under the Customs Act. This is consistent with principles that govern the use of force by the Australian Federal Police.

Suitably trained officers will be issued with Glock handguns, personal body armour, batons, capsicum spray, and handcuffs. The first deployment of officers will be in Melbourne to assist with the preparation of security for the 2006 Commonwealth Games.

Senator Ellison said initially around 80 additional officers in front-line Customs roles would be armed.

The Australian Government has announced a range of proposed improvements to the Australian Government’s Gatekeeper accreditation program. The Gatekeeper Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) Framework aims to make the application of PKI solutions less complex and more affordable for both business and government.

The Gatekeeper strategy governs the use of PKI in government for the authentication of external clients. The strategy ensures a whole-of-government framework that delivers integrity, interoperability, authenticity and trust for agencies and their clients. The strategy is underpinned by a standards-based, technology-neutral accreditation program for issuers of digital certificates.

The Framework aligns the Gatekeeper strategy with the way governments and businesses conduct their day to day activities. The Framework also aligns Gatekeeper with the risk profiles of the Australian Government e-Authentication Framework (AGAF).

In January 2005, the Government accepted the Joint Committee of Public Accounts and Audit’s (JCPAA) recommendation to review the Gatekeeper accreditation program to identify ways in which the cost and complexity of Gatekeeper could be reduced, while maintaining government security requirements.

The Australian Government Information Management Office will be conducting discussions with government agencies and businesses over the next few months to finalise the applicability of the Framework and its new features. A copy of the draft Framework is available on the website at http://www.gatekeeper.com.au

Australia

will host a major Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI) exercise early next year.

Exercise PACIFIC PROTECTOR 06 will be conducted around Darwin next April and is expected to attract representatives from a number of countries in the region and from around the world.

The exercise will be the region's next PSI activity, following

Singapore

's successful Exercise DEEP SABRE in August, which involved Australian Defence and Customs vessels.

Under PSI, participating countries cooperate to disrupt and deter illicit shipments of weapons of mass destruction (WMD), their delivery systems and related materials to terrorists and countries of proliferation concern. Such cooperation is undertaken within existing international and domestic laws. To date, more than 60 countries have expressed their support for PSI.

In earlier exercises, PSI focussed on maritime interdiction. Exercise PACIFIC PROTECTOR 06 will reflect the evolution of PSI towards testing air interdiction scenarios. It will be the first PSI air interdiction exercise in the region and will also include extensive ground based activities. The exercise will involve a range of Commonwealth Departments and Agencies, and Northern Territory authorities.

An Australian-sponsored counter terrorist financing workshop was recently held in Malaysia as a way to promote cooperation and information sharing between Australia and South East Asia.

Conducted by Australia’s financial intelligence unit, the Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (AUSTRAC) and the South East Asian Regional Centre for Counter Terrorism (SEARCCT), the workshop brought together analysts and typologies experts from financial intelligence units in Malaysia, Indonesia, The Philippines, Thailand and

Australia

Called the Terrorism Financing Typologies Workshop, it aimed to share knowledge of terrorism financing methods and trends as well as to develop a regional approach and information sharing network.

Under its South East Asia Counter Terrorism (SEACT) program, AUSTRAC is providing capacity building assistance to ASEAN nations. The four-year program involves providing in-country mentoring, information technology advice training programs and typologies development. SEARCCT was established in

Malaysia

in 2003 and focuses primarily on organising training courses, seminars and workshops related to counter-terrorism capacity building for regional authorities in law enforcement, banking and other sectors.

Strengthening aviation security in the Asia-Pacific region

The Australian Government has announced a $1.1 million dollar project aimed at strengthening aviation security in the Asia-Pacific region. The Joint Indonesian-Australian Aviation Security Project will be managed by the Australian Government's Department of Transport and Regional Services staff based in Jakarta and will see Australia and

Indonesia

working closely together on ways to help ensure Indonesian airports achieve and maintain international security standards and practices. Hassall and Associates Pty Ltd will deliver the training component of the project, commencing work as soon as possible.

Applications open for Natural Disaster Funding

Applications have opened for funding under the Natural Disaster Mitigation Programme and the Regional Flood Mitigation Programme 2006-07. The Australian Government will offer $18.6 million for the two programmes nationally in 2006-07 to help communities better protect themselves against the effects of floods, storms, bushfires and other natural disasters. Organisations eligible for funding include local councils, catchment management authorities, fire services and state emergency services. Funding can be used for a range of projects, including risk management studies, warning systems, community awareness campaigns and structural works to protect against damage. Under the programmes, state and territory governments are required to match Australian Government funding, with local government also making a contribution.

The closing date for applications is Friday, 24 February, 2006.Further information can be found at www.dotars.gov.au/localgovt/naturaldisasters (Natural Disaster Mitigation Programme) and www.dotars.gov.au/localgovt/rfmp (Regional Flood Mitigation Programme).

Call for papers: The Social Implications of Information Security Measures upon Citizens and Business

The Research Network for a Secure Australia is running a Workshop titled: "The Social Implications of Information Security Measures upon Citizens and Business".

Please take a moment to visit the call for papers brochure at http://www.uow.edu.au/~katina/workshop.pdf. The synopsis is due in early December 2005.

The workshop is to be held on the 29th of May 2006, at the University of Wollongong, Australia. The workshop will encompass all aspects of national security issues, the diverse range of information and communication technology responses and their respective legal and social implications. Cross-disciplinary perspectives are welcome.

Information: Dr Katina Michael, Program Chair, Faculty of Informatics, University of Wollongong, katina@uow.edu.au, tel 02 42213937

A PhD Research Scholarship is now available at the University of Newcastle on the topic of “Risk of explosive blast damage to masonry building facades”.

The Centre for Infrastructure Performance and Reliability has recently been awarded an Australian Research Council Discovery Project that is funded for three years and has the support of a number of industry-based research partners. A University of Newcastle Research Scholarship (External) has been established to investigate the performance and reliability of structural masonry subject to explosive blast loading. The project will focus on building facades. The research will contribute towards a better understanding of structural performance and reliability that will be incorporated into a risk-based decision analysis framework to determine optimal protective measures for new and existing buildings.

The PhD candidate will develop computational models for the structural analysis of structural masonry subject to explosive and dynamic loads and investigate the safety and reliability of the structural masonry. Over the duration of the PhD the candidate will develop expertise in structural dynamics, computational and experimental methods, structural reliability and decision analysis.

Applicants must have a Bachelor of Engineering in Civil or Structural engineering with Honours I or IIA. The applicant must be an Australian citizen or resident.Stipend is $30,000 pa (tax-free) for up to three and a half years. Additional income is available from tutoring and marking.

For further details please contact Professor Mark Stewart, ph. (02) 49216027 or email: mark.stewart@newcastle.edu.au. Closing date: 23 December 2005

This month, Defence has announced the award of a post graduate research scholarship in speaker verification technologies. The award when to Mr Peter Barger who will undertake research focusing on speaker verification technologies that will identify individuals through the distinctive characteristics of their voice. The project will have wide application in interactive technologies and applications such as telephone or online authentication and in law enforcement.

SecureAUS is demonstrating their new vehicle barrier system in Canberra on 8 and 9 December. The barrier is produced by Future Barriers. It will be demonstrated at National Tyre Wholesalers, 14 Yallourn Street, FYSHWICK at 2:30 pm till 4:00 pm on Thursday 8th December and again at 10:30 am till 12:00 noon on the Friday 9th December. The demonstration will NOT involve a crash test. The barrier is crash rated to DOS standards. We intend to demonstrate the versatility of operation and its low dependence on hydraulics therefore enabling ease of installation, operation and maintenance. This particular barrier is crash rated to withstand a vehicle weighing 15,000 lbs travelling at 35mph. This is equivalent to 6,804 kg at 56.33 kph or 2,268 kg at 96.5 kph in the dual buttress mode. Information on the barrier is at www.FutureBarriers.Com

The demonstration is open the security and engineering community. To attend, please email daniel@secureaus.com.au or call 0434 966 823.

Ezi Automation expands to Canberra

Ezi Automation, an Australian-owned company specialising in high-quality automated perimeter security systems, has established a presence in the ACT, with Evan Shipe as General Manager of Government business operations in the Canberra region.

Ezi Automation designs, manufactures, installs and services perimeter security devices and systems and has been selected by the Australian Government to install high impact gates to protect key domestic and international sites. Its TruckStopper™ automated anti-terrorist gate, recently SCEC-endorsed, is the ultimate response to modern threats in high security environments. The company has installed its high-quality automated systems in over 1000 sites around Australia. It is an accredited member of ASIAL, with security-licensed and qualified staff, and recently won the prestigious ASIAL Small Business Achievement award.

For more information on Ezi Automation and its products, visit www.ezi.com.au, or call on 02 6257 0255.

CSIRO has released a new identifying technology to combat counterfeiting and forensic tracing of commercial and bulk products.

Called DataTraceDNA, it incorporates unique patterns of indelible microparticles into the molecular structure of materials and products. The microparticles, invisible to the naked eye, can be easily read like a chemical barcode with a hand-held portable field reader. The chemical barcode is enormously complex, making it extremely difficult for counterfeiters to reproduce. Additionally, as the technology is incorporated into the materials and products, it cannot be removed, masked or altered.

The technology has proved so promising that CSIRO and DataDot Technologies have formed a 50/50 joint venture company, DataTraceDNA, to market and further develop DataTraceDNA.

Chief Executive Officer of DataDot Technologies Ian Allen says, “This new technology will not only be invaluable for the tracking and monitoring of bulk goods but also has very practical applications in authentication. Alarmingly, counterfeiting is increasing at a rate of 10 to 15 per cent a year. However with DataTraceDNA valuable items such as electronics, CDs, clothing, jewellery, and watches can all be uniquely marked to distinguish genuine from counterfeit products.”

Information: Geoff Houston, Commercial Manager, CSIRO Molecular and Health Technologies, tel 03 9545 2486.

XTEK Limited has won a Victorian Government contract to provide security training services to the Organising Committee of the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games. Under the contract XTEK will train operators in venue access screening, use of x-ray equipment, interpretation of x-ray images and operation of walk-through and hand-held detectors. XTEK operates a purpose-built training facility in Canberra which conducts SafePassage courses, training in x-ray screening and interpretation, mail room procedures, bomb awareness, aviation security modules and equipment specific packages for defence and law enforcement agencies. Information: http://www.xtek.net

Business survival and the influenza pandemic: Essential preparations for critical infrastructure & businesses

This report provides critical infrastructure owners and businesses with the necessary information to be prepared for a pandemic.

In particular, it lists practical actions that should be incorporated into each organisation's business continuity and emergency management (BC/EM) plans. These actions align with the pandemic phases in the Australian Action Plan for Pandemic Influenza (June 2005).

Pandemics are like terrorism - both are probable but no-one knows when, or what their consequences will be. Thus pandemics should be treated in the same way as terrorism and other risks. That is, by applying risk management to the threat, and incorporating the threat into BC/EM plans.

The Australian National Audit Office has released the report “Review of the Evaluation Methods and Continuous Improvement Processes for

Australia

's National Counter-Terrorism Coordination Arrangements”

The objectives of the audit were to: assess the effectiveness of the key evaluation methods used to review the efficacy of the Australian Government’s national counter-terrorism coordination arrangements; and examine the effectiveness of the links between the key evaluation methods, and how the key evaluation methods contribute to the process of continuous improvement.

It is available from here.

The Australian Strategic Policy Institute has released a report called Crunch Time: Planning Australia's future defence force. It was written by Program Director Mark Thomson. It is available from http://www.aspi.org.au/.

The following information is provided by Austrade.

Austrade’s office in Hyderabad, India, has been in contact with the Andhra Pradesh Police Department. Andhra Pradesh is one of the states in India. They have an interest in the following products/solutions and Australia would like to suggest suitable companies to introduce to them. Specific interests are:

Australia has identified a new tender for a tactical intrusion detection system in the

. Information can be found at http://www.fbo.gov/spg/NASA/KSC/OPDC20220/NNK05115729R/SynopsisP.html

If you have any inquires on these and other Austrade issues, please contact:

Katharine Heather
Senior Export Adviser - USA (ICT & Government)
Austrade Sydney
Level 23, AON Tower, 201 Kent St, Sydney
GPO Box 5301, Sydney NSW 2001
Tel: 02-9390 2395
Fax: 02-9390 2024
Mobile: 0438 058 997